1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to power electronics and DC—DC converters, and more particularly to a high voltage gate driver using a low voltage multi-level current pulse translator implemented using a low voltage process and optimized for high speed and low power dissipation.
2. Description of the Related Art
Modern DC—DC converters typically employ one or more 12 Volt (V) gate drivers or the like to drive electronic switching devices, such as metal-oxide semiconductor field-effect transistors (MOSFETs), to convert a high voltage DC input (e.g., 24V) to a regulated output voltage. The original 12V gate drivers were implemented using high voltage processes because of the higher voltage levels being switched and to drive sufficient current to turn on and off the switching devices. Although conventional gate drivers implemented using high voltage processes were initially recognized as high performance and cost effective, increasing demand for higher performance, lower cost solutions in smaller, mobile applications has made the higher voltage processes obsolete. Newer, low voltage processes are available, such as 5V processes and the like, which offer significantly reduced power consumption, reduced die and package size, reduced propagation delays (due to the gate oxide thickness typically defined by the process), lower cost and greater efficiency. Yet it is still desired to provide power electronics that switch at higher voltage levels, such as 12V.
It is desired to provide a 12V gate driver that can offer better performance and cost effective part in the motherboard solution.